A Benefit for the Chattooga Conservancy
Donations Accepted : All are Welcome
Cash Bar, Beer/ Wine

Join Yoga Highlands and Cashiers Valley Fusion in our 3rd annual Flow Fest: Yoga and River Awareness. We are calling our community together to celebrate the health of the Chattooga River, as the life blood of our ecosystem, with a talk led by special guest, Tom Bluewolf. Tom is a storyteller and inspired visionary who offers powerful insights into the role of water for family and planetary health, and pathways for deepening your sense of connection to all life. This evening will open you up to a new way of seeing.

Let’s gather and give to the Chattooga Conservancy that protects the Crown Jewel of the East, the Chattooga River.

Read more about Tom Bluewolf:
Founder and Director of EarthKeepers & Company, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating people of all ages on the importance of relationship with the earth and each other. He is a charter member of the World Council of Elders, The Indigenous Healers Association and travels the world teaching workshops, conducting ceremonies, and inspiring hearts with the message of peace and harmony with “All Our Relations”. He is a board member of several local, regional and national Environmental Organizations and active in many roles with youth Programs around the country. He has appeared on many radio and television programs,written hundreds of articles to present the views of the EarthKeepers Organization and has received numerous awards and acknowledgements for his work with EarthKeepers over the past 34 years.Tom is a Native American Spiritual Guide, Tribal Ambassador, Peacemaker, and Faithkeeper. He is a musician, artist, herbalist, naturopath, environmentalist, author, and lecturer. Tom was born in Southern Alabama, raised and taught in the traditional ways by his Creek Grandparents. Tom has tribal affiliation with the Y’falla Band, Star Clan of the Eastern Lower Muscogee Creek Nation.

]]>Forest Plan Revision UPDATE – Nantahala-Pisgah National Foresthttp://chattoogariver.org/forest-plan-revision-update-nantahala-pisgah-national-forest/
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 15:34:42 +0000http://chattoogariver.org/?p=30450The Forest Service will be hosting a public meeting on Tuesday, July 11th to allow the public an opportunity to...

]]>The Forest Service will be hosting a public meeting on Tuesday, July 11th to allow the public an opportunity to review their progress on revising the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan, and to accept feedback. The meeting will be held at Tartan Hall, 26 Church Street, Franklin, NC from 6-8 p. m. It is extremely important for those interested in protecting the headwaters of the Chattooga River watershed to attend this public meeting.

Documents can be found online at the Nantahala Pisgah National Forest webpage and reveal a disturbing indication that future proposed management for the Overflow Wilderness Study Area, the Terrapin Mountain Potential Wilderness Area and the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Extension Area are at risk.

For example, currently the Forest Service does not recommend the Overflow Wilderness Study Area as a qualified wilderness area because they say it is too small (less than 5,000 acres), opening the door for congressional action to have it stripped of its protected status as a Wilderness Study Area. This blatant attempt by the Forest Service to disqualify the Overflow Wilderness Study Area continues to ignore the fact that the area is contiguous with a large wild area in the Chattahoochee National Forest in GA, that would more than qualify it as a potential wilderness area. Similarly, the Forest Service has repeatedly refused to comply with their own regulations to consider wilderness qualifications based on the area’s position in the landscape to allow connectivity with existing wildlands. The Terrapin Mountain Potential Wilderness Area is yet another example of failure by the Forest Service to recognize the value of connectivity between the Terrapin Mountain area and the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area as a wildlife corridor to allow migration of both plant and animal species responding to the effects of climate change.

An even more disturbing indication that the Forest Service is moving toward a more “extractive” management paradigm is the Nantahala Ranger District’s proposed Southside Timber Sale, which threatens to build roads and harvest timber in the proposed Ellicott Rock Wilderness Extension Area and the Terrapin Mountain Potential Wilderness Area, further disqualifying these special areas from protective designations. Please attend this important meeting on July 11th, 6-8pm at Tartan Hall in Franklin, NC, and help spread the word!

]]>Enjoy But Leave No Tracehttp://chattoogariver.org/enjoy-leave-no-trace/
Mon, 19 Jun 2017 13:36:24 +0000http://chattoogariver.org/?p=30438The Chattooga River watershed is a rare, wild place filled with wonder. If it is nature study and solitude you’re...

]]>The Chattooga River watershed is a rare, wild place filled with wonder. If it is nature study and solitude you’re looking for, there are colorful birds singing in forests and meadows, glorious wildflowers in abundance, and playful river otters in the watershed’s streams, where native Brook Trout still swim. There are deep grottos where rare tropical ferns cling to ancient rocks, and more unique salamanders than any other place on earth. There are majestic Peregrine Falcons, which nest on the ledges of the 2,000-foot Whiteside Mountain, put on a fantastic show with their aerial displays of 200 m.p.h. dives to take prey.

If it is adventure you seek, the Chattooga River watershed offers some of the best whitewater around, plus great hiking and mountain biking trails, and good fishing, hunting and rock-climbing throughout its 200,000 acres, nearly 70% of which is public land.

Yet, there is trouble in paradise. The Chattooga River watershed is being loved to death. Surrounded by one of the fastest growing regions in the country, people from Atlanta, Greenville, Charlotte, Asheville, Chattanooga and other nearby urban centers flock to the Chattooga River each year in increasing numbers, to get away from the toils of work and seek recreation and renewal in this magic place. In many places, people are causing erosion and resource damage by creating trails on steep slopes, camping too close to streams, while trampling and cutting vegetation, and fouling access areas with trash and human waste.

Below are some guidelines we can all use to save and protect this special place.

Do more than “pack it in, pack it out.” Take a trash bag and pick up litter.

Camp in designated sites, and/or camp at least 1\4 mile from major access places and at least 50 feet from streams.

Do not cut green vegetation.

Stick to established trails when possible.

Bury human waste well away from streams when in backcountry areas or when toilet facilities are absent.

Respect other visitors.

Observe but do not harm wildlife.

Adhere to all hunting and fishing regulations. Do not take more than your share.

Report illegal activity such as All Terrain Vehicle use in unauthorized areas, trash dumping, etc., to the U. S. Forest Service, or to the Chattooga Conservancy (our telephone number is 706-782-6097).

Be careful with fire. Drown all campfires, then stir and cover with soil. Do not leave fire scars on beaches or rocks.

Be a good steward of the land and inspire others to do the same. Have a great trip to the Chattooga River watershed!

]]>Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017 On Wednesday 5/24/2017, the U. S. House of Representatives passed H. R 953, a.k.a. the “Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017.” The bill would do away with a requirement under the Clean Water Act for obtaining a “general permit” for the use of pesticides approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill passed by a vote of 256-165, with all representatives from the Chattooga River watershed voting for the bill. Opponents of this bill argue that permits for the use of pesticides help track where the heaviest pesticide use occurs, and that information is critical for targeting efforts to prevent pesticide contamination.

The debate and subsequent vote to approve H. R. 953 was preceded with a vote by the House of Representatives on 5/22/17 to pass H. Res. 348, “Providing for consideration of the bill [H. R. 953] to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters, and for other purposes” (source: Congress.gov).

Currently, there are almost 2,000 waterways in the U. S. that do not meet water quality standards because of contamination from pesticides (source: Earthworksaction.org). H.R. 954 will make it harder to identify pesticide use that may have caused the contamination of these waters.

The bill has been sent to the Senate, read twice, and has been referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Now is the time to call our senators and tell them to stop this bill that threatens our lakes, rivers and streams.

Stream Protection Rule Repealed On February 16, 2017, President Trump signed the repeal of the Stream Protection Rule. This rule said that coal mining companies could not dump rubble from mountaintop removal mines into adjacent valleys, which oftentimes leads to pollution of rivers and streams with dangerous heavy metals like selenium, mercury, and arsenic. The Stream Protection Rule also established a 100-foot buffer around streams for protecting water quality and preserving native species, and also called for restoration of streams damaged by mountaintop removal and other surface mining projects. With the repeal of the Stream Protection Rule, coal companies’ profits will be preserved, and communities will now be saddled with the damaging environmental effects and potential contamination of their recreational and drinking water sources.

]]>Overflow Wilderness Study Area Hike on May 12thhttp://chattoogariver.org/overflow-wilderness-study-area-hike-may-12th/
Thu, 11 May 2017 14:27:05 +0000http://chattoogariver.org/?p=30387The Chattooga Conservancy, in cooperation with the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT), is leading a trip into the Overflow Wilderness Study...

]]>The Chattooga Conservancy, in cooperation with the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT), is leading a trip into the Overflow Wilderness Study Area in Blue Valley on Friday, May 12th. The excursion will involve a short, ½ mile hike to Picklesimer Rock House, and several stops in Blue Valley to see evidence of an old amethyst mine, a mountain bog and an old grave yard.

The group will meet at 9 a.m. at the Peggy Crosby Center in Highlands, NC. Space is limited, and reservations are required. Call Chattooga Conservancy at (706) 782-6097 for more info. Call HCLT at (828) 526-1111 to sign up.

Picklesimer Rock House is a deeply recessed grotto beneath a large rock shelf, over which plunges a 40 foot waterfall past the entrance to the dry, open cave below. It is named for Benson Picklesimer, also known as the “Old Highlands Hunter,” the son of a German gun maker, who lived on nearby Clear Creek in the late 1800’s. On the way in, and a little further past the Picklesimer Rock House on Forest Service Road 79, we will make several stops. The hike will focus on both the cultural and natural history of the area.

]]>The Chattooga Conservancy monitors the springtime arrival of early neotropical migrant birds. On Friday, April 28th interested citizens will have the opportunity to spend time in the field with expert birder Jack Johnston observing early arrivals of migratory birds from the tropics. The species observed will represent birds that have spent the winter beyond the borders of the United States. These small creatures must make the trip south in the fall, and back again in the spring. This strategy allows the birds to have less competition when nesting, and to have a winter food supply in the tropics.

The ability of each bird species to continue this pattern requires that suitable winter habitat continues to exist, and nesting sites are available in our neck of the woods. With many neotropical migrants such as warblers, an undisturbed forest without canopy gaps is required. Once the forest is fragmented with roads and clearings, these birds cannot use it. Other neotropical migrants locate their nests on branches above streams in Rabun County. This may offer some protection from predators, as well as place the birds near an insect food supply. Some neotropical birds require brushy habitat, and others require mature forests with heavy shade. The overlap of nesting territories of different species indicates that their food requirements are sufficiently different to allow different species of birds to occupy part of the same space.

On the morning walk, the group will use binoculars and sound identification to monitor the birds present. The trip leader, Jack Johnston, has spent 30 years as a volunteer conducting summer bird surveys for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The requirement for this monitoring is that birds must be identified by sound. Over many years, through volunteer monitoring effort such as this, trends in bird populations become evident as some species become more numerous and many do not. Overall, field observations are showing that there has been a decline in the number of neotropical migratory birds. However, through concerted efforts at habitat conservation and restoration, this trend could possibly be slowed, or even reversed.

The grassroots efforts of the Chattooga Conservancy offer local interested people opportunities to participate in the conservation issues relating to protecting, promoting, and restoring the natural and human environment in the Chattooga River watershed. Come join us and expert birder Jack Johnston on this season’s bird walk, which will meet in the Ingles parking lot on Highway 441 in Clayton, at 8 a.m. sharp. Bring your binoculars!

]]>Join expert birder Jack Johnston on the Chattooga Conservancy’s annual bird watching expedition. Jack will lead a short hike into the woods to look and listen for neotropical migratory birds, sharing his wealth of knowledge about bird songs and distinctive markings to identify the birds heard and seen on the expedition. The trip leader, Jack Johnston, has spent over 30 years as a volunteer conducting summer bird surveys for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Meet at 8 a.m. sharp in the Ingles parking lot, on Highway 441 in Clayton. Gather over on the side of the parking lot next to the Community Bank building. Bring binoculars. For more information, please call 706-782-6097.

]]>Southside Projecthttp://chattoogariver.org/southside-project/
Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:53:11 +0000http://chattoogariver.org/?p=29892The Nantahala Ranger District in North Carolina has released a “scoping notice” for a proposed timber sale in the heart...

]]>The Nantahala Ranger District in North Carolina has released a “scoping notice” for a proposed timber sale in the heart of the Chattooga River headwaters, called the Southside Project.

The proposed project would involve 352 acres of timber harvesting, extensive herbicide applications, and road-building. The Chattooga Conservancy has examined the details of the proposed Southside Project, and has also visited several of the proposed logging sites in the field.

We are opposed to this project as it is currently designed. The “scoping” notice comments were due on March 20, 2017, and a copy of our comments are below. Stay tuned for further updates on our work to stop the Southside Project as it’s currently proposed by the Nantahala Ranger District.

Here are our scoping comments on the Southside Project.

General Findings
We are opposed to this project as it is currently designed, for the reasons stated below. We also base this opposition on our opinion that the Forest Service has failed to provide the public with vital information concerning this project, that is necessary to make an informed decision about the proposed action, which includes: information regarding stand age class; the presence of old growth timber within proposed timber harvest areas; the presence of old growth protection patches as designated; and, due consideration of the project’s negative effects on the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Extension Area, proposed North Carolina Natural Heritage Areas, scenic beauty, recreation activities, biodiversity, wildlife and fisheries.

The Southside Project, as currently proposed, would damage the ecological and aesthetic character of public lands in the Highlands-Cashiers area. It would also unfairly/negatively prejudice the ongoing revision of the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) for the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest. The project should be re-designed to protect special places in the project area and postponed until the new LRMP is in place.

Standing
The Chattooga Conservancy is a non-profit grassroots conservation organization working to protect, promote, and restore the natural ecological integrity of Chattooga River watershed ecosystems; to ensure the viability of native species in harmony with the need for a healthy human environment; and, to educate and empower communities to practice good stewardship on public and private lands. The Chattooga Conservancy has an organizational interest in the proper and lawful management of public lands within the Chattooga River watershed, including the Sumter, Nantahala-Pisgah and Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Members, staff, and board members participate in a wide range of recreational activities on these national forest lands, including those areas within the Nantahala National Forest that are proposed for management activities in the Southside Project scoping notice. The Chattooga Conservancy represents approximately 600 total members that support our work.

The Chattooga Conservancy claims standing to participate in the public land decision-making process on the grounds that it has been involved in national forest land management issues concerning the Chattooga River watershed since its formation, including the current proposed project. Our members have sought and continue to seek solitude, forested scenery, old-growth stands, and hiking, fishing, hunting, paddling, rafting and photographing experiences within the Nantahala National Forest, including the portion of the project area that would be affected by the Southside Project. Our collective membership includes professional photographers and recreational guides whose livelihoods depend, in part, on the remote and beautiful nature of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, including the project area, remaining intact. Other members also rely on the opportunities for solitude and seclusion provided in the headwaters region of the Chattooga River. (A map “Southside Project Special Area Overlay Map” should be used for reference for the following narrative)

The Southside Project calls for logging in the steep terrain around Jacks Creek, near Highway 107. Jacks Creek is one of the few remaining wild brook trout streams in the area. It also feeds into the East Fork of the Chattooga River, which, in turn, feeds the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery. Logging and herbicides could harm brook trout populations in Jacks Creek by diminishing required environmental conditions—namely, cold, clean and clear water. It could also adversely impact the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery. In addition, logging in this area would also have a negative impact on, and be visible from, the Foothills Trail. The Forest Service should not permit logging that could degrade Jacks Creek, and the Foothills Trail.

Old-Growth on Brushy Mountain (Unit 35/41)

The Southside Project calls for logging and road construction on top of Brushy Mountain. This area is a wildlife corridor connecting Terrapin Mountain with the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, and contains a beautiful, old growth hardwood forest—over 200 years old—exhibiting outstanding diversity. (Note that the Forest Service’s CISC data [continuous inventory of stand conditions] for unit 35/41 is incorrect.) Old and diverse forests provide excellent habitat for a range of fish and wildlife species, and add to the unique aesthetic character of the Highlands-Cashiers area. The Brushy Mountain area also lies within viewshed of Ravenel Park (Sunrise Rock) and multiple homes on Sagee Ridge. The Forest Service should not log, or build a road, on top of Brushy Mountain. Regarding the adjacent unit 35/42, the Forest Service’s CISC data indicates that this stand could be well over 100 years old, and therefore we suggest that this area should be managed for old growth restoration, contiguous with the old growth on the summit of Brushy Mountain.

Natural Heritage Area and Granite City (Unit 31/18)

The Southside Project calls for logging within the proposed Blackrock/Granite City NC Natural Heritage Area, within 3,000 feet of Granite City, a popular recreation destination. A Natural Heritage Area is an area of land or water that is important for the conservation of the natural biodiversity of the State of North Carolina. Logging within a Natural Heritage Area would reduce its ability to contribute to ecological diversity. Logging here would also degrade the aesthetic and recreational experiences at Granite City. The Forest Service should not log in Natural Heritage Areas.

Designated Old-Growth Near Granite City (Unit 31/18)

The Southside Project calls for logging near Granite City. In addition to being located within a Natural Heritage Area site, this area is also located within a designated old-growth patch. The Forest Service is required to manage designated old-growth patches for their old-growth characteristics, not for their timber products or early successional habitat. In addition, trees in Unit 31/18 are over 150 years old and should be managed as old growth. The Forest Service should not log in old growth and designated old-growth patches within the project area.

Slick Rock and Green Salamander Habitat (Units 29/11 and 29/16)

The Southside Project calls for logging adjacent t to the Slick Rock Natural Heritage Area and habitat for the Green Salamander. The Forest Service’s logging activities would negatively impact habitat for the Green Salamander, which is a federally-listed endangered species. The proposed timber harvest near Slick Rock, a known breeding and feeding site for the green salamander, would reduce humidity required by the Green Salamander in breeding sites on Slick Rock, and eliminate feeding areas. The Forest Service should not permit logging that would damage Green Salamander habitat.

Old Growth near Ammons Branch Unit 29/17 and Unit 30/16 propose to cut 29 acres of 100-year-old white pine contiguous with a patch of old growth forest identified in the Forest Service old growth study entitled “Carlson Old Growth Study.” We request that these unit/stands be withdrawn and managed as old growth restoration areas, to expand the old growth patch at Ammons Branch.

Wilderness Implications (Units 30/16 and 29/17)
The Southside Project proposes logging and road building activity in the Ellicott Rock Extension Area, which is currently being considered for wilderness designation in the new draft LRMP for the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest. Logging in this area would significantly weaken its potential for wilderness designation. The Forest Service should not log or engage in road construction activities within the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Extension Area.

Scenery and Recreation (Units 29/16 and 29/17)
Heavy timber harvesting and temporary road construction along the Glade Mountain Trail would destroy scenery, and impact recreation use on the Glade Mountain Trail. The Forest Service should not log around the Glade Mountain Trail.

Herbicides We also oppose the heavy use of herbicides in the Southside Project. The long term effects of herbicides on human, biological and aquatic health are unknown.

Silvicultural Treatments In general, the Chattooga Conservancy opposes the Southside Project’s proposed application of 2-aged regeneration harvests, a variant of even-age timber management. Also in general, we would request un-even age silvicultural prescriptions and/or small group selection (size of the group no larger than twice the height of the tallest tree in the stand), which more closely mimic natural disturbances.

Whitewater River Sector We are also concerned about the proposed heavy, 2-age management along the Whitewater River watershed, contiguous with the Chattooga River watershed, and the overlap with the Whitewater River Natural Heritage Area that could cause sedimentation, and harm recreation, scenic and biological values.

For the aforementioned reasons, we strongly request that this project be re-designed to protect special places in the project area, and postponed until the new LRMP is in place. We also request that the Southside Project be re-designed and deferred because of the failure of the Forest Service to provide necessary information for an informed public process. In addition, we feel strongly that the project be withdrawn because it would prejudice the ongoing revision of the Nantahala-Pisgah Land and Resource Management Plan. When finalized, the revised forest plan should contain new and valuable information not contained in the current, outdated plan that was put in place 23 years ago.

]]>University of Georgia School of Forestry Students Initiate Unique Projects at Stekoa Creek Parkhttp://chattoogariver.org/university-of-georgia-school-of-forestry-students-initiate-unique-projects-at-stekoa-creek-park/
Wed, 15 Mar 2017 01:10:14 +0000http://chattoogariver.org/?p=29889This spring, students from the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources are working to inventory a...

]]>This spring, students from the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources are working to inventory a forested section of Stekoa Creek Park, that consists of a stand of densely packed, young trees. The students are identifying the best native trees to retain, and which ones to thin out to create a native tree arboretum. They are also geo-referencing all of the native trees, shrubs and wildflowers in the park, to create an audio tour that park visitors can access via their mobile devices. The audio tour will tell the natural history of a selection of plants, with a focus on how the plants were used by Native Americans.

]]>Help Save the South Carolina Conservation Bankhttp://chattoogariver.org/help-save-the-south-carolina-conservation-bank/
Wed, 15 Mar 2017 01:00:27 +0000http://chattoogariver.org/?p=29886The S. C. Conservation bank was created in 2002, and has been the state’s most important land conservation tool, protecting...

]]>The S. C. Conservation bank was created in 2002, and has been the state’s most important land conservation tool, protecting nearly 250,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat, farm land, archeological sites, wetlands and scenic areas. However, the enabling legislation that created the S. C. Conservation Bank is slated to terminate in 2018, unless we ACT NOW to convince the S. C. State Legislature to enact legislation to eliminate the 2018 sunset provisions. The Conservation Bank is funded by state real estate transfer fees, and for this year’s budget, the S. C. House Ways and Means Committee has proposed to eliminate this unique, market-based transfer tax funding mechanism for the Conservation Bank – which has generated $18.3 million – and replace it with monies from the general fund, which will cut the Bank’s funds to $5 million. South Carolinians need to let their state senators and representatives know that we want to maintain the current mechanism to fully fund the Conservation Bank, and remove the sunset language in the enabling legislation.